How effective is the Somnoplasty System in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea?
Initial clinical results showed that the Somnoplasty System effectively treated obstructive sleep apnea by shrinking the base of tongue-the most difficult source of obstruction to treat-in moderately and severely affected patients. These results were presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation in September 1998, with data from 18 patients. Sophisticated testing and analysis following treatment with the Somnoplasty System indicated that patients experienced an average of 17 percent and as much as a 35 percent reduction in tongue tissue volume, a range that is comparable to conventional surgical techniques.
